Four Hours to Kill!

This is a much older movie than I normally watch, but I would watch it again, and again. The old style of camera work, the effectiveness of glances between characters - the use of the eyes - all very well used to develop the mood and ultimately the story.

There was a long speech by the theater manager which exemplifies the moral, religious attitudes of many at that time. Seems really phony by today's standards, but not out of place at all in this setting. It is also a key to the miracles that happen before the conclusion of the movie. It provided the morality lesson in a story cluttered with wrong-doings.

Noticed one continuity error. Generally people wear their wrist watches on the opposite wrist than the hand with which they write. The detective states he is left-handed - appropriate to the script. Later we see his watch on his left wrist. Enough for a smile, but not at all enough to damage the quality of the movie or story.

I was surprised and delighted by how much I enjoyed this old movie. I will watch it again.

Film of different people and how their lives interact in the lobby of a film theater. One of the many forgotten films (though obviously--and luckily--not lost)that makes me wonder how it is decided what is released on video. This should be!

A detective has "four hours to kill" at a music theater before he has to deliver his prisoner. This movie really is a copy of the "Grand Hotel" format. What makes this movie stand out is the music soundtrack. All the time the movie is going on there is a Broadway-style show going on in the background. The music is good! It makes you think that this would be a great show to see, but you never get to see it. This really is the reason that most people remember liking this movie, but they can't remember why. I really do not know if it is available on either DVD or VHS, or if it was released by the studio (Paramount?) It's an average move, but excellent soundtrack. Catch it if you like 30's show musicals.

Observing the fates of several diverse characters in the lobby of a theatre while a musical is being performed, Four Hours to Kill is pretty obviously a lower-budget imitation of Grand Hotel. But I'll take it over its more opulent cousin any day. Paramount's dramas were always edgier and more eccentric than MGM's, and still pack surprises for modern viewers. Mitchell Leisen directs with his usual aplomb, but it's really writer Norman Krasna who is ultimately responsible for the picture's success. It's marvellous to see how he interweaves the various story lines and sneaks in new plot revelations every few minutes as the tales intersect with each other. At the same time, he fills in the edges with neat comic vignettes.

There's plenty of pre-code material on hand – one of the major plot points deals with abortion and blackmail (alluded to obliquely, but it's quite obvious nonetheless), which contrasts nicely with the comedy-relief thread of Roscoe Karns's nervous expectant father. Young Ray Milland plays a caddish gigolo whose acquisitive plotting is inadvertently revealed to his married lover, and the most sympathetic character is an outright murderer on his way to the gallows. The latter is played by Richard Barthelmess in his usual insular, haunted style, which is a perfect fit. Fans of "It's a Wonderful Life" will chuckle when Henry Travers insists "Don't You Believe in Miracles?" at one point.

I noticed one of the reviewers said this film is a lot like "Grand Hotel" and I agree. Like this famous MGM movie, "Four Hours to Kill!" is a film with several stories that are interwoven together. What ties them all together is the location but instead of a hotel the setting is a theater.

When the film begins, a police officer is supposed to take an escaped prisoner, Mako (Richard Barthelmess), back to prison but they missed the train. So, with four hours to kill, he takes the handcuffed prisoner with him to the theater. In the meantime, you see several other stories unfold including one about Eddie and a woman trying to extort money out of him for breach of promise, a nasty cad (Ray Milland) meeting a married woman as well as a nervous guy (Roscoe Karnes) waiting in the theater as his wife is nearby in labor.

All of the stories are interesting and the acting quite nice--particularly by Barthelmess. I had a hard time imagining this nice-guy actor playing a thug but he and his accent were quite convincing. All in all, the film is entertaining, well written and one of the better pictures of the day. Not quite a "Grand Hotel" but still quite nice. My only apprehension is the Police Captain-- his character and the acting for him were poor and unconvincing....but this is only a minor quibble.